The present invention relates to a roller for transporting sheet-like material and a method for manufacturing the roller. An automatic processing apparatus for processing an imagewise exposed light-sensitive material during its transportation is provided with a plurality of transporting rollers for transporting the light-sensitive material and a plurality of guide rollers for guiding the light-sensitive material. These rollers of the automatic processing apparatus are bridged and rotatably supported between a pair of side plates. The rollers for transporting light-sensitive material receive the rotary force of a motor through gears fixedly mounted to the rollers so that the rollers rotate and nip the light-sensitive material therebetween. Further characteristics such as runout, corrosion resistance to processing solution and smoothness are required for the rollers in the automatic processing apparatus in order to prevent the light-sensitive material from experiencing uneven processing.
To satisfy such requirements, the roller is generally manufactured in such a way that at first paper or cloth immersed in resin is wound in a hollow plastic pipe or a metal core pipe and the pipe is cut in pre-determined lengths. Thereafter, shaft end members that provide rotatable support for the rollers are mounted on both ends of the pipe by an adhesive. However, the production cost of the roller manufactured by the aforementioned process becomes high due to its multiple fabricating processes. In addition, such a roller is heavy. Accordingly, maintenance of an automatic processing apparatus equipped with a rack of such heavy rollers is difficult. Moreover, even in operation, the tank in which the rack is accommodated must be very strong.
Further, a phenolic resin roller having a pipe-shape but made in an extrusion molding process without the use of a core pipe, has been known. However, this type of roller is not suitable for use in a device for transporting sheet-like material in view of its stiffness, runout and roundness. When this type of roller is partly immersed in a liquid, such as a processing solution, in the axial direction, the temperature difference between the liquid and the air above the liquid causes warpage of the roller.
An object of the present invention is to provide a roller for transporting sheet-like material that is easily manufactured and has desirable performance characteristics including reduced weight.
A further object is to provide a method for manufacturing the roller which reduces the production cost by reducing fabricating steps.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a roller, and a manufacturing method for such a roller, suitable for transporting sheet-like material, which has a high degree of stiffness and roundness, and a low degree of runout.
An additional object is to provide a roller and a manufacturing method for such a roller, which has good lo dimensional stability even if the roller is partly immersed in a liquid, such as processing solution, so that warpage in the axial direction of the roller is prevented.